NFL scout on Landry Jones: “He looks like a mid-round pick”

Posted by Evan Silva on October 13, 2012, 1:00 PM EST

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It was considered a surprise in some circles when Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones didn’t declare for the 2012 NFL draft following his junior season. Jones is a big-name player annually on Heisman Trophy watch lists. He’s been a very productive passer in the Big 12 conference.

Jones will be in the 2013 NFL draft because he’s a fifth-year senior. One college scout explained to Albert Breer of NFL.com, however, that Jones’ NFL stock has fallen since early in his career.

“He would’ve been a late first- or early second-(round pick) last year,” the college scout told Breer. “Now, he looks like a mid-round pick, based on this early part of the year.”

The NFL scouting community is reportedly unimpressed by the way Jones handles adversity.

“[Jones] has all the tools we look for in a quarterback,” said the scout, “but if he gets hit a couple times, he’s done. Lots of skill, absolutely — great size, good arm, accurate, tons of production the last three years. But he’s killing himself. … He shows he can do everything we want him to do, he just hasn’t shown he can do it consistently in pressure situations.

“He’s great if his team gets a lead early and mixes it up on offense. If they get behind, and he’s got to lead them back with a defense pinning their ears back, he struggles.”

“But he’s killing himself. … He shows he can do everything we want him to do, he just hasn’t shown he can do it consistently in pressure situations.”

And that’s different from the majority of the starting NFL QBs how? There are about six or seven guys who can “do it consistently in pressure situations”. That’s it. Right now, the scout is saying the kid could be a NFL starter on most teams.

@coltzfan
what game are you watching? He makes Zero (0) checks at the line, he gets pulled close to the goal-line, and he gets happy feet under pressure. I don’t see anything that would warrant him to be a sure-fire top pick, but he will be a first round pick. He plays the most important position in the NFL, he may be ranked as a third round prospect, but somebody will reach, and depending the team, he may or may not improve.

For the past few years, we’ve seen QBs rated as 2nd rounders go in the first round, and QBs rated as mid-rounders go in the second, occasionally the 3rd.

Football is a team sport, but QB is the only position where one injury can cost a team 5-10 wins.

Just see the Peyton Manning-less Colts last year, who finished 2-14, which is 8 wins below the year before with Manning (10-6).

Even the 2008 Patriots, who lost Tom Brady for the year in game 1 and went 11-5, actually finished 5 wins below their regular season record in 2007 with Brady since they had a perfect regular season record (16-0).

There are about a dozen or so players I was talking about (Williams, Anderson, Gilmore, etc) not just qb. And I wouldn’t be so quick to assume because a guy went to Harvard he has mental toughness…smart? Absolutely. Mentally tough? Mmm not quite..

““He’s great if his team gets a lead early and mixes it up on offense. If they get behind, and he’s got to lead them back with a defense pinning their ears back, he struggles.””

Now that doesn’t sound like Brady or Manning at all. They both have made plenty of comebacks and have played great when their team gets behind. I mean who has more 4th quarter comebacks/game winning drives then those two over the last decade?

I’m not sure if you’re just jealous or intellectually challenged but that was one lame comment.

QBs always get overreacted. Somebody will be desperate enough to take him in the mid-2cd at the latest. Jimmy Clause went in the mid-2cd and I’m pretty sure the average 12 year old girl has a better arm than that guy.

He shouldn’t worry, theres always a few desparate/dumb teams out there that will take a QB higher than what he’s worth (e.g. Mark Sanchez).

==================================

Not a Jets or a USC fan, but Sanchez was rated by EVERYONE as a top 10 pick. Can’t blame the Jets for that one, they had to trade up and get what they thought would be their guy. He never would have made it out of the top 10 draft picks otherwise.

Reminds you a little of Ryan Mallett – looks the part, but never quite delivers….

….regarding some of the comments on Mark Sanchez….while he has earned his share of detractors, he still owns 4 playoff victories, while the guy many feel has been the best QB in the league this year, Matt Ryan is 0-3….good reminder that while QB play is critical, it also has a lot to do with the team around them….

eventhorizono:
The Colts crumbled without Manning last season because they put absolutely zero thought into a quality backup.
Curtis Painter?
Are you kidding?
You cited the 2008 Brady-less Patriots. What? You actually expected them to go 16-0 if they had had him?
The 2010 Steelers were without Roethlisberger the first four games, yet started that season 3-1. They haven’t gotten off to a better start since: 2-2 last season, and 2-2 this season.
You are absolutely right: Football is a team sport. And good teams find ways to win; bad teams find ways to lose.
Pretty simple.